Horrified dog owner finds rat poison planted in garden

Eleanor Groves, who lives in Rishton, was luckily able to dispose of the metal bowl full of pellets after she spotted something unusual had been wedged underneath her back garden gate.

When she investigated, Ms Groves realised that the tin metal takeaway tray contained what appeared to be rat poison - and thinking quickly was able to remove it before her dog had the chance to get near it.

She said: “I found it pushed underneath the back gate.

“It was clear someone had placed it there with the intention to harm my dog but I don’t understand why anyone would want to hurt him, he’s so loving.

“I want to make people aware that this has happened before any real harm is caused by this.

“I’m going to ask around and see if anybody has any CCTV that we can take to the police, but until then there isn’t really anything I can do about it.”

Pet owners across East Lancashire have been warned to be extra-vigilant as numerous cases of intentional harm to animals have been reported.

Just two months ago Chloe Hannan was shocked to find dog biscuits which had been sabotaged with nails scattered across the footpath near her home.

Only weeks previously a dog-walker in The Coppice, Accrington, had the shock of his life when he retrieved a pin-laced ball from the mouth of his labrador, who had found the ball near bushes in the park.

Speaking at the time he said: “I’m just appalled by what has happened, it’s cruel.”

Advising on how to respond if you find any form of poison in your garden, a spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “This sounds like a concerning incident however we are pleased that the dog is OK and did not ingest the substance.

“It is illegal to put out rat poison where any animal other than rats can be harmed by it, and anyone convicted of deliberately poisoning faces up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine under the Animal Welfare Act.

“If you are concerned your pet may have been poisoned contact a vet immediately.”